Fire & Emergency Medical Services

The City of Battle Ground provides Fire and Emergency Medical Services through a contract with Fire District 3. While the city owns the fire station building and the two fire engines housed at the station, it is Fire District 3 personnel who operate the station and the equipment in order to respond to emergency calls within the City of Battle Ground.

Personnel & Staffing

Fire District 3 provides staffing 24 hours-per-day, 365 days-per-year at the City of Battle Ground Fire Station. Response crews include a career Fire Captain, career Firefighter/Paramedics, career Firefighter/EMTs and Qualified Student Intern Firefighters. A 24-hour-shift Battalion Chief is staffed at the Battle Ground Station and the Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief spend a combined 32 hours per week working out of the Battle Ground Station.

The partnership with Fire District 3 also provides for a Fire Marshal position in the City of Battle Ground. The Fire Marshal's Office works with the city's Community Development Department to provide professional and technical services in the field of fire prevention, investigation, public education, plan review, inspections, and fire/building code enforcement.

Equipment

In addition to the two city-owned fire engines, Fire District 3 provides a fully equipped ALS (Advanced Life Support) Rescue Unit and ALS Squad (a smaller truck-type vehicle that functions as both an EMS Rapid Response Vehicle and a small fire engine).

With medical calls accounting for approximately 65% of all responses, these vehicles enhance the effectiveness of traditional fire service vehicles. Utilizing these smaller, yet fully equipped vehicles, for medical calls reduces response times, operating costs, and improves the safety to the community by using lighter weight vehicles that can maneuver safely through city traffic and streets.

Cost for Services

Unlike in other cities and our neighbors in the county’s jurisdiction, residents of the City of Battle Ground do not contribute to the cost of Fire/EMS services through a separate property tax levy. Because the city contracts for services, the cost is paid out of the city’s General Fund.